Cabinet for bookcases, letter-files, &amp;c.



I No. 7l0,086. Paten t a d Sept. 30, 1902.

' F. TBA MBLAY.

CABINET FOB BOOKCASES, LETTER FILES, 81.0

(Application filed May 11, 1901,) N I (NoModaL) I 3 She'tS-Sheet778232602164)- l I E jiwzzfare R20? .flunzlay fiflflw by a e. arm

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No. 7l0,086. Patented'Sept.' 30, I902.

I F. TBA'MBLAY. CABINET FOB BOOKGASES, LETTER FILE S, 814;.

(Application filed May 11, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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Patented Sept. 30, 1902. F. TRAMBLAY.- CABINET FOB BOOKGASES, LETTERFILES, &c.

(Application filed May 11, 1901.) Y V 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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, UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

FELIX TRAMBLAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

.CABINET FOR BOO'KCASES, LETTER-FILES, C.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 710,086, dated September30, 1902.

Application filed May 11, 1901. Serial No. 59,729. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, FELIX TRAMBLAY, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Cabinets for Bookcases and Letter-Files, &c.; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cabinet structures for use inmaking letterfile cabinets, bookcases, and analogous structures andembraces also certain minor features of improvements relating to theclosing of the compartments of such cabinets. 7

With respect to the first-namedfeal ure of the invention it relates to anovel construction in cabinets for the purpose set forth, which is madeof a plurality of detachablyinterlocked like parts or sections soarranged that the cabinet may be expanded or contracted, while using inits construction only the necessary number of parts required for makinga permanently-built cabinet, and the parts being so arranged as to givethe necessary finish to the cabinet. The parts of said cabinet are alsodetachably-connected, so that the cabinet may be knocked down when beingshipped or when stored.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet made inaccordance with my invention suitable for containingletterfiles. Fig. 2illustrates the cabinetpartly dismantled. Fig. 3 illustrates the railswhich may form part of the base of the cabinet, said rails beingseparated to show the-niauner of joining the same. Fig. L illustratestwo side panels of a compartment and a horizontal panel thereof and alsothe connectingplate for joining said parts, said parts being slightlyseparated to more clearly illustrate the connecting-plate. Fig. 5 is aperspective view of the back member'of' one of the compartments. Fig. 6is a view of a fragment of one of the end members of a compartment.Figs. '7 and 8 are fragmentary details showing the manner of joining theback and end members. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section of a compartment,showing a front or door connected therewith, the door beingin its openposition.

Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the door in its closed position. Fig.11 is a vertical section of parts of three adjacent compartments.

The cabinet shown in Fig. 1 is constructed to form part of afiling-cabinet, said cabinet being provided with a plurality ofsuitablyspaced'shelves to receive between the same drawers containingletters and documents filed therein. Certain of the shelves consist ofthe bottom walls of the compartments. Said cabinet consists of fourprincipal com partments, two lower and two upper com partments, theupper and lower compart ments at each side being divided from the upperand lower compartments of the other side by a partition forming theinner end walls of the compartments. Each compartment, as herein shown,contains three shelves or supports for the filing-drawers. The cabinetis supported on a suitable base and is surmounted by an ornamental top.Each compartment. consists of abottom member A, end members B B, and aback member C. When one compartment .is placed over the other, as shownin Fig. 1, the bottom memberA of the upper compartment constitutes thetop member of the next lower compartment. The up per compartments areshown as provided with single top members D, forming the top of thecabinet, though said member may be made of 'two parts. The bottommembers A of the lower compartments may also be made from a single pieceof material. Thebottom members rest on a suitable base E,wh'ich mayconsist of an integral structure from one end of the cabinet to theother and ornamented by suitable molding at the front thereof or mayconsist of a plurality of longitudinal and transverse rails E Erespectively connected at their ends by dowel-pins e in the mannerindicated in Fig. The bottom members A and the top members D of theseveral compartments are interlocked with the end and intermediate orpartition members and with the transverse rails E of the base. Saidinterlocking connections consist of metal plates F, (shown in Figs. 2and 4,) which are inserted and secured in the ends of the horizontalmembers A A and are provided with upwardly and downwardly extending lugsff, which enter grooves 11 in the adjacent end faces of the end andintermediate members, as clearly shown 1 and horizontal members isprovided.

in Fig. l. The interlocking strips or plates F are preferably each madefrom a single piece of sheet metal, one edge of which is plain, to beinserted into the end of one of the horizontal members A and the otheredge or margin of which is cut and folded upwardly and downwardly toform the holding prongs or lugs ff. Four holding prongs or lugs areshown on each interlocking strip or platetwo directed upwardly and twodownwardly. The upwardly and downwardly projecting prongs are arrangedalternately, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The downwardlyprojecting prongsf enter the grooves Z) and e in the end members and base-rails,respectively, while the upwardly-projecting prongs fenter grooves b inthe bottom edges or margins of said end members. In order to strengthenthe interlocking connections between the ends of said interlockingplates F and the end members of each compartment, the prongsfat one endand the prongs f at the other end are cut to provide auxiliary prongs ff respectively, which are bent to project in directions opposite to thedirection of the prongs from which they are out, thereby providing aninterlocking connection between each end of the plate and both the upperand lower end members of the compartment. Where two compartments arebuilt side by side, a single end member B constitutes the end of bothcompartments and, in fact, a partition between said compartments. Saidpartition members B, therefore, have interlocking connections at theirends with the horizontal members A of the compartments, on eithersidethereof, and the top members D, if the top be made of separate members.The prongs of the locking plates or strips of two adjacent horizontalmembers enter the same groove in the end and the partition members andin the transverse baserails E, and for this purpose thedownwardlyprojecting prongs of the plate of one horizontal memberdesirably stands opposite to spaces between the downwardly-pr0jectingprongs of the plate of the adjacent horizontal member, while theupwardly-projecting prongs of one of said plates occupy a like positionwith respect to the spaces between the upwardly-projecting prongs of theother plate. YVith this construction the grooves 17 and c need not bemade of great width, and a firm interlocking joint between the verticalTheintermediate or partition members may be provided with dowel-pins b,as shown in Fig. 2, adapted to enter suitable apertures in theintermediate rail E of the base, the adjacent intermediate members andthe top member, if the latter be made of a single piece, extending fromone end of the cabinet to the other. Said prongs ff of each plate orstrip F are separated a distance from the margin of the member to whichthe plate is attached, thereby forming a flat surface on said strip,which rests on the upper margin of the member which the prongs enter, soas to provide an ample width of bearing of the plate on the memberbeneath to support the member to which the strip is attached. The plateF,

member, ex-

attached to each horizontal tends only half-way across the margin of theintersecting vertical member, thereby providing room for attachment toeach vertical member two horizontal intersecting members. Where but onehorizontal member intersects a vertical member, as at the end of thecabinet structure, the superimposed vertical member or the top wall ofthe compartment contacts with the outer side of the upper margin of saidvertical member and gives the proper finish to the joint at this place.The back members 0 are connected with the rear margins of the end andpartition members by means of headed studs 0, which engage L- shapedlocking-slots in plates b in the end and partition members, thehorizontal parts of said L-shaped slots opening rearwardly. Said platesare set over suitably-shaped recesses in the end and partition members,thereby forming spaces behind said plates to receive the heads of thelocking-studs, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

\Vhen the cabinet is to be used as a letterfile cabinet, the end andpartition members are provided with horizontal grooves D which receivethe shelves A, which latter constitute, with the horizontal members A,supports for the filing-drawers. Said grooves 17 open rearwardly fromthe end and partition members, so that said shelves may be inserted intothe compartment from the rear. After being inserted thereinto they arelocked in place by the attachment of the back members 0 to the end andpartition members.

If the cabinet is to be used for a bookcase, the shelves A will beomitted and the end and partition members will be made of the requiredheight to provide the desired height of the compartment, otherwise theconstruction will be the same as shown and just described.

With the construction shown it will be seen that while the severalcompartments of the cabinet are separable they are joined byinterlocking connections, which insure a. rigid structure as a wholewhen assembled and also a construction which gives a finished appeanance to the cabinet. If it be desired to increase the capacity of thecabinet, it may be readily done by removing the top D and adding theretoanother compartment or compartments, as the case may be, and placing thetop sections on the top of the compartments added. If it be desired toextend the cabinet endwise thereof, this may be accomplished byproviding a base of greater length if the base be made an integralstructure or providing an additional section of the base if made ofseparable parts and building thereon another compartment or compartmentsin the same manner as compartments are joined together in theconstruction shown in Fig. 1. In the event of adding other compartmentsto one end of the construction (shown in Fig. 1) the end membersadjacent to which said com partment is added will then constituteintermediate or partition members between central compartments and theend compartment of the newly-formed cabinet. It will thus be seen thatthe addition of compartments to existing compartments does not changethe form or construction of the structure as a whole and does notnecessitate the interposition of two walls between two adjacentcompartments placed side by side, as in case where the structure isbuilt up of completed units, which are merely set up side by side andheld together by interlocking connections. WVith the constructionillustrated, therefore, it will be seen that when an additionalcompartment or compartments are to be added only new outer end membersand the top and bottom members are required, thereby avoiding thenecessity of furnishing two end members for such additional compartmentsand preserving the proportions and identity of the structure as a whole.

I have shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11 means for closing the fronts of thecompartments either when used as a bookcase or a letter-file, butpreferably with the latter; The fronts of said compartments are closedby doors Gr, each made of the required dimensions to completely coverthe front opening of the compartments. Said doors are supported in theend and partition members of the compartments by means of bracketsb,attached to the end and partition members. Rollers 5 attached to the endand partition members at the outer ends of the brackets b constituteantit'riction-bearings, which facilitate the opening and closing of thedoors. \Vhen the door G is opened, it occupies a horizontal position, asshown in Fig. 9. The closed position of the door is shown in Figs. 10and 11. Hooks b at the upper margin of the door are adapted to engagethe rollers in the closed position of the door to hold the latter inplace, as shown in said Figs. 10 and 11.

As a means for effecting an automatic retiring of the door when thrownupwardly said door is connected, by means of straps H, to spring-rotatedwheels or pulleys H, mounted on a shaft h, secured at the back of thecom-' partment. The springs for actuating said pulleys consist of spiralsprings h, which surround the rod, and each attached at one end to oneof the pulleys and at its other end to i the rear wallor member of thecompartment.

When the door is pulled outwardly to close the same, as shown in Fig.10, the pulleys H are rotated against the compression of the springs h,so that when the door is again thrown upwardlyinto horizontal positionthe tension of said springs is sufficient to draw the door backwardlyinto its open position, as shown in Fig. 9.

The actuating devices for the doors hereinbefore described may beemployed with cabinet structures of construction varying from thatherein shown.

I claim as my invention-- 1. An expausible knockdown cabinet struc-"ture comprising a plurality of compartments each constructed ofseparable bottom, top and end members, provided in their margins withgrooves, connecting -plates fitting in said grooves and detachablyconnecting said parts, the outer end and top walls of certain of thecompartments constituting the single partition-wall between saidcompartment and other compartments formed by the addition to said firstcompartment of members which are substantial duplicates in size of themembers constituting said first compartment.

2. An eXpansible and knockdown structure comprising two or morecompartments, each consisting of separable bottom, top and end membersand a back member, connectingplates detachably connecting the margins ofthe bottom, top and end members, the back member closing the compartmentand being interlocked with the end members to brace the structure, theouter end and top walls of certain of the compartments constituting thesingle partition-wall between said compartment and other compartmentsformed by the addition to said first compartment of members which aresubstantial duplicates in size of the members constituting said firstcompartment.

3. An expansible and knockdown cabinet structure comprising two or morecompartments, each constructed of separable bottom, top and end and backmembers, connectingplates detachably connecting the margins of thebottom, 'top and end members, the said end members being provided withrearwardlyopening L-shaped slots and the back member being provided withlugs adapted to enter said slots when the back member is in place, theouter end and top walls of certain of the compartments constituting thesingle partition-wall between said compartment and other compartmentsformed by the addition to said first compartment of members which aresubstantial duplicates in size of the members constituting said firstcompartment.

4. A cabinet structure comprising a plurality of compartments, with twoor more compartments located side by side, each compartment beingconstructed of vertical and horizontal members which are duplicates ofthe members composing the other compartment or compartments, and eachtwo adjacent, laterally-separate compartments having a common end memberconstituting the partition between said compartments, and providedin itsupper and lower margins with "grooves, and flanged connecting platesfitting in grooves in the margins of the horizontal members, the flangesof the plates of two adjacent horizontal members of adjoiningcompartments engaging with the same groove of the common partitionmember thereof.

5. The combination, with a horizontal shelf iIo member provided in onemargin with a groove, and two end members adapted for attachment to thegrooved margin of the shelf memher, said end members being provided intheir margins adjacent to the shelf member with grooves, of alocking-plate fitting in the groove of said shelf member and providedwith oppositely-directed flanges which enter the grooves of said endmembers, said plate extending laterally to, but not beyond, the groovesof the end members, and the flanges at the opposite sides of the plateextending only a part of the way across the same, whereby the likeflanges of a second laterally-extending locking-plate may enter thegrooves of said end members in the same plane with the flanges of thefirst-mentioned lockingplate.

(3. In a cabinet structure, the combination with two shelf membersdisposed end to end and provided at their adjacent margins with grooves,and two end members intersecting said shelf members and having groovesin their adjacent margins, of locking-plates fitting in the grooves ofsaid shelf members and provided on their adjacent margins each withoppositely-extending flanges which enter the grooves of said endmembers.

'7. In a cabinet structure, the combination with two shelf membersdisposed end to end and provided in their adjacent margins with grooves,and two end members intersecting said shelf members and having groovesin their adjacent margins, of connecting-plates fitting in the groovesof said shelf members and provided on their adjacent margins each withoppositely-directed prongs which enter the grooves of said end members,the prongs of one of said plates being located out of line with theprongs of the adjacent plate.

8. In a cabinet structure, the combination with shelf members disposedend to end and provided in their adjacent margins with grooves, and twoend members intersecting said shelf members and having grooves in theiradjacent margins, of connecting-plates fitting in the grooves of saidshelf members and provided on their adjacent margins each withoppositely-directed prongs which enter the grooves of said end members,the prongs of one of said plates being located out of line with theprongs of the adjacent plate, certain of the prongs of said plates beingprovided with auxiliary prongs which are bent oppositely to thedirection of the prongs from which they are formed.

9. In a cabinet structure, the combination with a shelf member having agroove in one of its margins, and end members having grooves in theiradjacent margins, said end members intersecting the shelf member, of aconnecting-plate made of sheet metal and comprising a flat web whichenters the groove in said shelf member and having its margins cut andfolded in opposite directions to form prongs, the prong at one side ofsaid web being located out of line with the prong at the other sidethereof, said prongs entering the grooves in said end members, and theplates extending but half the distance across the margins of said endmembers.

10. A sheet-metal connecting-plate comprising a flat web provided at itsmargin with oppositely-directed prongs, the prongs at one side of theplate being located out of line with the prongs at the other sidethereof, the prongs at the end of said plate being out and folded toform auxiliary prongs which are bent oppositely to the direction of theprongs from which they are formed.

11. A cabinet structure consisting of members provided at their marginswith grooves and which are detachably interlocked at their margins, theinterlocking devices consisting of metal plates, each of which entersthe groove in the margin of one member and is provided at its freemargin with oppositelydirected prongs which enter the grooves in the twomembers which intersect the firstnientioned member, the two prongs atthe ends of the plates being provided with auxiliary prongs which arebent oppositely to the direction of the prongs from which they areformed.

12. A cabinet structure comprising a plurality of members which areprovided in their magins with grooves and are detachably intel-locked attheir margins, the interlocking devices consisting of metal plates, eachof which enters the groove in the margin of a horizontal member and isprovided at its free margin with upwardly and downwardly extended prongswhich are adapted to enter the grooves in the upper and lower margins ofintersecting vertical members, the connecting-plate of each horizontalmember extending but half the distance across the margins of theintersecting vertical members.

13. A cabinet structure comprising a plurality of compartments eachconsisting of a plurality of horizontal and vertical members,connecting-plates for detachably interlocking said horizontal andvertical members at their margins, said plates being separable from thevertical members by movement thereof in the direction of the planes ofthe vertical members, and said vertical members being provided on theirinner faces adjacent to their rear margins with L-shaped slots whichopen at their rear ends through the rear edges of the vertical members,back members for the several compartments, and projecting lugs on themargins of said back members adapted for engagement with said L-shapedslots.

14. A cabinet structure comprising a plurality of compartments eachconsisting of a plurality of horizontal and vertical members, metalplates for detachably interlocking said members at theirmeeting margins,said vertical members being provided at their rear margins withlocking-slots, back -members provided with projecting lugs adapted toengage said locking-slots, said vertical members being also provided ontheir adjacent or inner faces XUQ with horizontal grooves which areclosed at their front ends and open at their rear ends through the rearedges of said vertical members, and shelves supported in said grooves,said back members engaging the rear edges of the shelves, when looked inposition, to hold the shelves in place in said grooves.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix mysignature, in presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of April, IO A.D. 1901.

FELIX TRAMBLAY.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM L. HALL, GERTRUDE BRYCE.

